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CHAPTER TWELVE
career night
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( the turning point )

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Thursday, November 3, 2009

Harper's POV.

*Harper's Bedroom*

Number ONE. Vampires burn in the sun unless they have special daylight rings that let them walk in sunlight like Stefan and Damon have

Number TWO. There's this special herb called vervain that repels vampires and keeps them from mind controlling you or "compelling" as Elena put it

Number THREE. They can't come into someone's house unless they are invited in first by the owner

Number FOUR. They have super speed and strength as well as the ability to hear far away and hear faint sounds

Number FIVE. Their blood can heal you but if you die with it in your system, you become a vampire, but you have to feed first on human blood to complete the transition or you'll die for good

Number SIX. Vampires can't die. But there are several limited ways to kill them, by cutting off their head, by fire, taking out their heart, or by stabbing them with a wooden stake through the heart

I twirl my mechanical pencil in my hand. I think that's it for now. This is all I know about vampires so far that I've been able to gather from what Elena said yesterday and what I've been able to compare to in Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I also wanted to watch True Blood, but that show is too inappropriate for me.

I missed school today. I couldn't sleep last night and woke up a mess this morning. My parents let me stay home because I convinced them that I wasn't feeling well. I probably looked the part too. Finding out that vampires existed really shook me up, and the thunderstorm and power outage last night didn't help at all. It's too bad I still have to go to Career Night though. I don't know how I'm going to function from now on knowing that anyone anywhere could be a bloodsucking monster. The world just got a whole lot more dangerous.

I've spent the whole day home alone researching all I can on vampires, witches, ghosts, anything in the known supernatural world. The only problem is that it's difficult to determine between what's fiction and what's real. Just yesterday I thought vampires were made up, so you can imagine the difficulty. I did end up rewatching Twilight and a few episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer though. It's kind of weird to think that the creators behind them might have actually had some solid knowledge on some real vampires. I mean, hey, it's a big world out there. Elena, Bonnie, and I can't possibly be the only humans on earth who know about vampires.

I glance down at my vampire facts list. Number TWO, vervain, I need some. It's the only way I can guarantee myself some sort of protection. The idea of being mind-controlled to my doom by a vampire kind of freaks me out. I know that the necklace Stefan gave Elena has some vervain in it, so maybe he has some more that I can use.

My phone suddenly dings, and I reach to pick it up.

ELENA GILBERT: Hey i need to tell u something important

HARPER LACY: What's up?

ELENA GILBERT: There's another vampire in town, i need u to be careful ok?

HARPER LACY: Got it, hey can u ask stefan if he has any more vervain?

ELENA GILBERT: Yeah sure i'll ask him about it

ELENA GILBERT: See u later at career night?

HARPER LACY: Ya

ELENA GILBERT: Ok

I put my phone down on my bed. Well, that was the weirdest conversation I never thought I would have. And, oh great, another vampire in town. We already have Damon to deal with who I'm pretty sure was hanging around outside my house last night. But the more I think about it, the more it feels like it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. I really hate that I can't tell the difference between falsehood and reality anymore.

*Later That Night at Career Night*

*Mystic Falls High School*

Career Night, both a bore and intriguing all at the same time. For someone so heavyset on doing well in school, you'd be surprised that I do not, in fact, have my future all planned out. I honestly don't even know what career I want to go into or what major I want to take in college yet. I'm simply keeping my options open for now and going with the flow.

I'm with Elena at the moment, the only person here who can really relate to me, being in the know about vampires and everything. I follow her up to Matt.

"Still wanna be an astronaut?" she teases him.

Matt chuckles. "I can't believe you remember that," he says setting down a pamphlet back on the table to give us his full attention.

"I can remember the tinfoil that you wore on your head." Elena grins cheekily.

"Oh yeah," I pipe up. "You used to be obsessed with Star Wars."

Matt rolls his eyes at us playfully. "I was eight," he defends.

I really thought the three of us had a good, playful rhythm going on like old times, but much to my dismay, an awkward silence rears its ugly head.

Darn, and I really thought things between post break-up Matt and Elena were improving after all this time.

Elena finally speaks up. "How are you doing?" she asks him seriously with genuine concern in her eyes.

She's talking about Vicki. Matt has no idea his sister is dead. Everyone, including Matt, believes that Vicki left town, and I used to believe that as well until I found out the truth yesterday. I didn't question Vicki's disappearance before because running away didn't seem too far from something she would do.

I still don't know how to feel about her death though. Just like Matt, Vicki and I used to share cribs when we were babies. However, the older we got, the more and more we grew apart till the present to where we rarely spoke to each other. She stuck to her drugs, and I stuck to my studies. Back when Matt's mom lived in town, my family, the Gilberts and the Donovans used to have lots of get-togethers. However, since Matt's mom left town and Aunt Miranda and Uncle Grayson died, nothing has really been the same.

Matt sighs before answering Elena's question. "I've had it easier," he says.

Elena nods in understanding.

"You?" he questions her back. "Uh . . . I heard some things . . ."

I notice someone enter the room out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head and see that it's Caroline. She sees us, but instead of joining us like I expect her too, she walks away. She probably found someone else to talk to for the time being.

Matt continues talking to Elena. "So it's true that you and Stefan . . ."

"Yeah, it is," Elena cuts him off, sighing. Suddenly, her lips curl up into a grin. "What about you, Matt Donovan?" she inquires teasingly. She goes over to another table to fiddle with some random pamphlets. "I heard about Caroline."

"Aw, man, not you too," Matt groans good-naturedly.

"Hey," says Elena suggestively.

I look back and forth between the two of them confused until the answer clicks in my head. "Wait, you like Caroline?" I ask with a bit too much excitement.

Matt turns to me and shakes his head. "No, I don't." He brings his attention back on Elena. "We're just friends."

Elena gives him a pointed look.

"It's not a big deal," Matt assures.

"No?" Elena presses, unconvinced.

Matt shakes his head again. "No," he responds firmly.

Awkward. Yeah, Matt is not lying. He's still very much in love with Elena, which is very clear since he appears serious to make sure that she knows he's not interested in anyone else. I can't believe he still has hope they'll get back together. He really has no idea how hung up on Stefan Elena still is. Being one of his closest friends, I should probably be the one to tell him.

Suddenly, someone else enters the room. We all turn to face them.

It's Stefan.

If it wasn't already awkward enough, it's extremely awkward now. It doesn't take very long for Matt to take his leave, knowing that in a room with Stefan Salvatore, he doesn't stand a chance to keep Elena's attention on him.

I feel so bad for him, because, in a way, I can sort of relate. Neither of us ever get what we want because there's always someone else having it all. For Matt, it's Stefan, and for me, it's Elena.

Knowing that Elena will probably want to talk to Stefan alone, I go up to her and ask quietly, "Do you wanna talk to him alone?"

"If you don't mind," she answers kindly.

I nod.

I know that Stefan can hear everything I say no matter how quietly I say it. It's kind of uncomfortable to know that in the past he's been capable of hearing everything I've ever said around him. Not that I've spent time this morning going through every word I can possibly remember saying around him or anything . . .

I start to head for the hallway, but as I pass Stefan along the way, I say a simple "hi" in greeting.

"Hey," he responds back politely in return.

Once out in the hallway, I search for Caroline. I find her in front of a booth for news and journalism.

"Hi," I greet to get her attention.

She turns around. "Hey," she says. "Have you seen my mom?"

Before I can even open my mouth, Caroline brushes past me to none other than her mother.

Well, she was easy to find. I almost forgot that Caroline's mom and my dad are on duty tonight. My mother is also hanging around somewhere, probably talking to Jenna or Mrs. Lockwood.

Caroline grabs her mom by the arm and drags her along back towards the news and journalism booth.

"What are you doing?" Sheriff Forbes questions her daughter skeptically.

"Following my future," Caroline replies. She points to the banner above the booth. "There it is," she says proudly.

"Broadcast journalism?" Sheriff Forbes reads off the banner.

"Yes." Caroline nods. "Broadcast journalism." She raises her eyebrows for emphasis.

Sheriff Forbes purses her lips together but doesn't say anything.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Caroline inquires.

"You don't even read the paper," Sheriff Forbes reminds her.

Annoyed, Caroline rolls her eyes, turns on her heel, and leaves the room.

Sheriff Forbes looks to her right and notices my presence. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she apologizes before going after Caroline.

I'm about to walk away and go find Bonnie when the lady at the news and journalism booth speaks to me.

"What about you?" the lady asks politely. "Any interest in broadcast journalism?"

I turn to the woman and give her my attention. "Um, no." I quickly shake my head. "That's not my thing."

"Well, that's all right," the woman assures with a smile. "There's lots of other career fields in the news other than broadcast journalism. Have you ever heard of investigative journalism?"

"Yes." I nod.

"Well," the woman continues, "that's what I do, and let me just tell you. There are so many misconceptions about this career field. Investigative journalism isn't just about solving mysteries and what not. It's about giving a voice to the voiceless and holding people in power accountable. I think that you'd be very interested if you learned a little more about it. Here's a pamphlet." She hands me a pamphlet titled "Investigative Journalism: Founded on Truth, Freedom, and Fairness."

"Thank you," I tell her.

She smiles. "You have a good rest of your night."

"You too," I say, and with the pamphlet in hand, I start my search for Bonnie. After a minute or two, I still can't find her but instead find my mother, or I should say, she finds me.

She looks a bit frantic, but I'm not sure why.

"We're going home," she announces, grabbing my arm.

"Why?" I ask her out of habit. It's not like I don't want to go home. Of course I do. The question just slipped out.

She starts to lead me to the front of the school. "You were sick earlier, dear. I never planned on staying the whole time. You need a whole night of rest if you're going to school tomorrow," she explains.

"Oh, okay," I say.

And with that, we go out into the parking lot and head home.

3rd Person POV.

*Sheriff Liz Forbes' Police Cruiser*

Jack Lacy was so glad he had his wife take Harper home early from Career Night. Liz had sent out a V5 alert that she had located a vampire. The culprit was Logan Fell of all people. He was likely turned before he died by the blond vampire they had taken down yesterday.

Jack and Liz are currently in the sheriff's police cruiser in pursuit of Logan. Unfortunately, even though Harper was taken to safety, Logan had managed to kidnap Caroline, Liz's daughter who is also good friends with Harper.

Liz is on the phone with Logan, trying to reason with him. "What do you want?" she demands.

There's a pause.

"What did he say?" Jack asks Liz from the passenger's seat.

"He's going to turn her," Liz's voice breaks, the phone in her hand trembling. The worry for her daughter is evident. She forces herself to put the phone back up to her hear.

Then, Liz gasps.

"What is it?" Jack demands.

"I heard a gunshot," she informs quickly before yelling into the phone. "Logan! What happened?! Logan?!"

Surprisingly to Jack, Liz appears to calm down a bit. "Where's Caroline?" she asks into the phone, her voice steadying out.

Jack waits for Liz to put down the phone. When she does, he asks, "Did he let her go?"

Liz sighs, putting all her attention back on the road again. "No, Damon got there in time. He had his brother take her home. She's okay." Liz smiles with relief.

"Where are they?" Jack inquires.

"Elm Street. We're pulling up now," Liz says. She slows the police cruiser to a stop, and the two of them get out and rush up to Damon.

Damon is lying against the back of Logan's getaway car, appearing beat up.

"Are you okay?" Liz asks.

"I'm okay," Damon reassures, slowly getting to his feet. He holds his right shoulder in pain. "I'm sorry, Sheriff. I just wasn't strong enough," he apologizes, referring to his failure to take Logan down.

"That's all right." Liz nods. She then turns her attention to Jack. "At least Caroline is safe," she tells him before heading back to the police cruiser to inform the rest of the deputies what's going on.

Jack walks up to Damon. "Might wanna get that shoulder checked," he suggests.

"Yeah." Damon grunts, massaging his shoulder. "He got me pretty good." The dark-haired man takes a good look at Jack. "You're Harper's father, right?"

"And how do you know my daughter?" Jack questions suspiciously.

"My brother Stefan goes to school with her. She's a nice girl," he explains.

Just like with Logan, Jack doesn't fully like working with Damon. He is new in town, and even though he likes Zach Salvatore well enough, he isn't quite so sure about his nephew Damon. He barely knows the man though, so he can't really judge. However, Jack is a pretty good judge of character, and there is just something about Damon Salvatore that irks him. He just can't put his finger on it.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

( word count: 2.6k )